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Video Game Design Foundations
contrast: Variation of color and brightness to
make objects stand out from each other. (9)
cookie-cutter design: Repeating design. (5)
cooperative NPC: In-game character
who helps the player complete the game
objectives. (2)
copyright: Indication of legal ownership of
creative work. (1)
copyright infringement: Misusing or making
unauthorized copies of a copyrighted work. (10)
copyright laws: Protect the owner of a
creative work; under US copyright laws, as
soon as a creative work is in tangible form, it
is automatically copyrighted. (10)
core mechanics: Computer programming
used to enforce the rules. (1)
core values: Moral, ethical, and cultural rules
that a person (or character) applies to his or
her life. (2)
corporation: Legal entity that limits the
personal liabilities of its owners while being
able to engage in activities such as entering
into contracts, making money, and buying
property. (1)
covert clue: Clue that is hidden or hard to
read. (6)
Creative Commons license: Work can be
used for free with or without restrictions; may
require citing authorship and may prohibit
derivative works. (10)
critical path method (CPM): All tasks are
first prioritized. The next step is to find
dependencies for each task. Tasks are then
scheduled in the most efficient progression.
The tasks are then analyzed to find how the
project can be fast-tracked. (1)
crunch time: End of a project when time
begins to run short and decisive action is
required. (1)
cue: Trigger for an action, such as playing a
sound sample. (8)
cultural influences: Characteristics unique
to a geographic region or the people of that
region. (9)
cultural values: Rules that a character applies
as part of its ancestral heritage, religion, and
family. (2)
cut scene: Short video presentation usually
placed between levels or at checkpoints
within a level. (2)
D
data mining: Process of discovering patterns
from a set of raw statistical information. (6)
data structure: Way of storing and organizing
data. (12)
database: Organized system of storing
information that allows for searching and
retrieval of the data. (8)
decelerate: Slow down. (12)
declared: Item is given a name and a function
in the program being written. (12)
demographics: Measureable characteristics of
a person or group. (4)
derivative work: Anything based on, or
derived, from any part of the original. (10)
design documents: Documents that
contain all of the decisions used to make
the game. (1)
design team: Group of very creative people
who bring the idea of a video game into a
playable version. (1)
developer: Game-design studio that is
responsible for creating all of the art, sounds,
programming, and design elements of the video
game. (1)
dexterity: Readiness and skill in a physical
activity, especially one involving use of the
hands. (4)
dialect: Variance in language found in a
specific region or social group. (2)